The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence has officially begun, with this year’s campaign placing strong emphasis on the growing problem of digital violence against women and girls.
The campaign, launched by the Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA), in partnership with the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) was held under the theme ‘Unite to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls.’
The theme is highlighting the increasing abuse faced by women, girls and LGBTIQ persons through online platforms, including cyberbullying, image-based violence, online stalking, grooming, doxxing and the spread of AI-generated deep fakes.
Speaking during the launch, BONELA Programmes Coordinator Katlego Sechele said digital violence has become one of the most dangerous yet overlooked forms of gender-based violence. She said while these acts occur online, their effects are deeply damaging and often lead to trauma, social isolation, blackmail, loss of opportunities and in extreme cases, death.
She noted that perpetrators often hide behind anonymous profiles, making it difficult for victims to seek justice, while laws and social media platforms continue to lag behind rapidly advancing technology. She added that young women and girls, LGBTIQ communities, women with disabilities and those in public life are the most affected.
Maun Police Station Commander Superintendent Joseph Lepodise said gender-based violence remains a serious concern in the area despite continued education and awareness campaigns. He revealed that GBV-related murder cases increased from four in 2023 to five in 2024, while seven cases have already been recorded this year.
He further stated that threat-to-kill cases rose from zero in 2023 to 16 in 2024, and have already reached 30 cases between January and October this year. Rape cases also increased from 53 in 2023 to 55 in 2024 and now stand at 69 this year.
Assault cases have followed the same trend, rising from 24 in 2023 to 102 in 2024 and 110 cases this year so far.
Lepodise further encouraged parents and caretakers to talk to their children when they notice that they are being violated especially by their partners in relationships. He further encouraged them not to withdraw cases as many are withdrawn by the victims who are later murdered by the same perpetrators.
He also urged the public to utilize the child- friendly police station in cases such as defilement or any other violence against minors as children are able to report calmly and even give witnesses from there instead of appearing in court.
